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AboutaContemporaryThomisticMetaphysics
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St.Thomas,CornelioFabro,anItalianonparticipation,andJosephde
Finance.Thosethreebookswereallonthesameline,buttheyjust
cameoutaround1939,andgotlostinthewar,andonlygotknown
afterwards.SoIpickedupthatwholenewdevelopmentoftheneo-
PlatonicelementinSt.Thomas.Itwasallmovingaroundthen.Sothe
combinationoftheexistentialThomismofGilsonplusthisnewdevel-
opmentgavemethefullrichSt.Thomas,Ithink.WhenIwasover
thereinEuropein1947itwasinthemiddleofalltheexistentialism,
JeanPaulSartreandallthat,andthephenomenology,soIsoakedup
thatexistentialphenomenologyforacoupleofmonths,andthenwent
intoSt.Thomasandtriedtoputittogether.
P.Mazanka:Thelistofyourpublications,ProfessorClark,isawit-
nesstoanumberofsignificantphilosophicattainments.Whatdoyou
considertobeyourmostnoteworthycontributiontophilosophy?
Prof.Clarke:Ithink,firstofall,theconnectionbetweenbeingand
actionIwroteaboutitinthearticlecalled,“ActionasaSelf-Revela-
tionofBeing:ACentralThemeinSt.Thomas.”Thatreallybringsout
thedynamiccharacterofexistenceaspouringoverintoself-commu-
nication,andwiththewideapplicationsofthat.Itgoesallthewayup
intotheology,too.Theveryhighestbeingisessentiallyself-communi-
cativelove,thattremendousimageofGodasself-communicative
love,andeverybeingisinsomewayanimageofGodbecauseitis
aparticipation,soeverybeingwouldshareinsomewayinthatdrive
toself-communication,andeveryconsciousbeingintoself-communi-
cativeloveinsomeway.Sothat’saveryrichone.
SecondlyIshowedthecentralroleofthepersonthatdoesmeta-
physicsoftheunificationofhisownlifeandthelifeofthecommunity.
Tobeistobeself-communicative,St.Thomas’visionofpersonbeing
whereIbringoutthethreeaspectsoftobeaperson:tobeself-pos-
sessingintheorderofknowingoneself,self-awarenessindepth.Then
intheorderofaction,self-determinism,orself-governingofourown
lives,moralresponse,takingchargeofourownlivesandbeingre-
sponsible,self-governing.Andthentobeself-communicativewemust
sharewhatisinustoshare,andtogetinrelationwithothers.